Bay Area TV reporters beaten, robbed

Police in Oakland and San Francisco are investigating after television news reporters were targeted in unrelated crimes -- one beaten, one robbed -- in the last several days.

Oakland police are seeking a woman who assaulted a KTVU Channel 2 news reporter Sunday as the reporter covered a fatal shooting at the Coliseum swap meet in East Oakland.

The female reporter was working on a story about the shooting of 22-year-old Hector Uribe, of Oakland, by two security guards at the swap meet when she was confronted and punched at least twice in the head by an unidentified woman who fled before police could arrest her, authorities said. The suspect is being sought. The reporter was shaken and treated at the scene.

Lee Rosenthal, news director at KTVU in Oakland, said Tuesday that the reporter -- whose name was not released by police -- is recovering.

"She was conducting an interview with someone when another person, not a part of the interview, suddenly leapt in and struck our reporter several times in the head," he said.

Oakland police spokeswoman Officer Johnna Watson said the assault is being investigated and that police would like any witnesses to come forward. Police did not release a description of the suspect.

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At roughly 5 a.m. Tuesday, San Francisco police responded to a robbery on 18th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Two armed men robbed a KRON-TV news reporter while the reporter was sitting in his van, a station official confirmed. The men opened the van's doors, told the victim to get in the rear of the van and stole his laptop, wallet and tripod, police said. Both suspects covered their faces with bandanas and they remain at large, police said. The reporter was not injured.

The KRON news director declined to comment.

Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $1,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the suspect in the Sunday assault. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call investigators at 510-238-3426 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572. In San Francisco, witnesses can call police at 415-553-8090.